Updated eCQM Specifications and Implementation Resources for 2026 Reporting/Performance Period
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted the electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) specifications for the 2026 reporting/performance period for hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, and eligible clinician quality reporting programs. CMS updates the specifications annually to align with current clinical guidelines and code systems, so they remain relevant and actionable within the clinical care setting. Measures will not be eligible for 2026 reporting unless and until they are proposed and finalized through notice-and-comment rulemaking for each applicable program.
Where to Find the Updated eCQM Specifications and Implementation Resources
The updated eCQM specifications are available on the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement (eCQI) Resource Center for Hospital - Inpatient, Hospital - Outpatient, and Eligible Clinician pages under the 2026 reporting/performance period. Other resources, including the Guide for Reading eCQMs, eCQM Logic and Implementation Guidance, tables of eCQMs, and technical release notes, are also available on the eCQM Resources tabs on the Hospital - Inpatient, Hospital - Outpatient, and Eligible Clinician pages. In addition, the Telehealth Guidance for eCQMs for Eligible Clinician 2026 Quality Reporting and the Eligible Clinician Table of eCQMs regarding the allowance of telehealth encounters for eligible clinician eCQMs are posted. The eCQM Data Element Repository, a resource that provides all the data elements associated with eCQMs in CMS quality reporting programs to improve clarity for eCQM implementation, will be updated in June to reflect data element updates.
Where to Find the 2026 eCQM Value Sets, Direct Reference Codes, and Terminology
The 2026 reporting/performance period eCQM value sets are available through the National Library of Medicine’s Value Set Authority Center (VSAC). The value sets are available as a complete set, as well as value sets per eCQM, on the VSAC Downloadable Resources page. The direct reference codes specified within the eCQM HQMF files are also available in a separate file for download. Use the VSAC Value Set Comparison Tool to compare different elements of the 2026 value sets and quality measures with past eCQM Annual Update releases.
Program Candidate Measure Information
The eCQI Resource Center includes information about CMS Hospital - Inpatient Program Candidate eCQMs, Hospital - Inpatient Program Candidate Hybrid Measures, Hospital - Outpatient Program Candidate eCQMs, and Eligible Clinician Program Candidate eCQMs, quality measures that are developed, but not yet finalized for reporting in a CMS program. These measures will not be eligible for CMS quality reporting until they are proposed and finalized through notice-and-comment rulemaking for each applicable program.
For Questions Regarding eCQMs visit the eCQM Issue Tracker. Note that an ASTP/ONC Project Tracking System (Jira) account is required to ask a question or comment.